A £115 clip-on power meter that claims "pro-level" accuracy is set to hit Kickstarter, plus Trek's "industry-first shift" to low-emission aluminium, a fancy new Chris King headset patent + more

A £115 clip-on power meter that claims "pro-level" accuracy is set to hit Kickstarter

2025 BikeOn Cycleclick - 1 (credit: BikeOn)

Let's start with the 70g power meter that apparently fits to your chain in 30 seconds without any tools and provides power-reading accuracy to rival the established players. That's the claim of its makers — in fact BikeOn says it offers "pro-level" accuracy — the clip-on CycleClick power meter set to launch on Kickstarter soon. 

You might remember we first spotted this back in March, the power meter now 'launching soon' on Kickstarter following an early access period elsewhere. That involved leaving a small refundable deposit to reserve "the lowest price ever" of $149, so we're assuming the Kickstarter number won't be that much more than that £115 asking price, although admittedly there currently aren't any package/pricing details.

> A 70g power meter with tool-free installation for £115? What's the catch?

The price is obviously a head-turner, the CycleClick way cheaper than most traditional power meters and even a fair bit below the now sub-£400 Favero Assioma Uno pedal-based device which currently sits at the bottom end of the power price range.

But will it actually do the job? Naturally, we said we'd approach the launch with caution when we first reported on it back in the spring and nothing's changed on that front. However, that's also not to say we're dismissing it outright or not incredibly excited to test it in the real world.

The CycleClick's makers say it is the "world's first chain-mounted power meter that actually delivers" and claim it offers "pro-level accuracy". There's a built-in chain speed sensor, full-bridge strain gauges and "advanced algorithms" to deliver "unmatched accuracy" of real-time power data. There's certainly also no shortage of confidence or big claims, CycleClick also suggesting it will provide stable readings in any weather and delivers on price, ease of installation, durability and precision compared with traditional power meters. As we've said, we're really looking forward to trying it, but you probably don't want to get too ahead of yourself reading Kickstarter campaigns.

It works with any chain-driven bike and weighs 70g. There's a stated battery life of 30 hours, but that's rechargeable via USB-C and there's Bluetooth to upload your data to Training Peaks, Strava, Garmin Connect etc. The warranty is listed as a year and, of course, once it goes live on Kickstarter, all the usual disclaimers apply about the crowdfunding platform.

It fits onto your bike chain, held in place just by a ball and socket system that mounts in most cases to your front derailleur, and BikeOn reckons that CycleClick can detect your cadence and measure power up to 2,000w.

2025 BikeOn Cycleclick - 3 (credit: BikeOn)

Plenty of people on social media have been vocal about their doubts that the CycleClick could deliver accurate results, but BikeOn has come out fighting.

BikeOn co-founder Aram Novikov has said the the device is free to move laterally with the chain when you shift chainrings and that it will not come off easily. BikeOn also says that having a wet or dirty chain makes no difference to the results and that it doesn't matter whether the spring of your derailleur is heavy or light. 

> Best power meters for cycling 2025 — maximise your training with on-bike data to track your efforts

Will a bouncing chain affect things? BikeOn says that the CycleClick "becomes part of the chain" and will bounce itself.

2025 BikeOn Cycleclick - 2 (credit: BikeOn)

"It can bounce, but because it's so lightweight, the bouncing does not affect the measurements," says Novikov. "It does not introduce any significant noise. If the device bounces on the chain, it indicates there is no tension and no power to measure.

"Some people say there are too many variables on a moving chain for these [measurements] to be accurate," Novikov continued. "It depends on how you design it. The device becomes part of the chain. It's very lightweight, and forces acting on the device are very small. So no, there are not too many variables. We measure the tension, we measure the speed of the chain, all the movement… It's all accounted for."

The Kickstarter page says it is 'launching soon' so hopefully we'll have some real-world testing and answers for you soon. For now, here's a link to all the info.

Chris King patents AeroSet internal headset design

Chris King aeroset headset (credit: road.cc)

The United States Patent and Trademark Office has awarded Chris King Precision Components a patent for its internal headset design. Speaking about the development the company accepted that it was not the first to explore internal cable routing, but suggesting that it "recognised early on the value of creating the best possible version of an internal headset".

Bespoked 2022 Chris King aeroset.jpeg (credit: road.cc)

You probably don't need us to tell you that working on internally routed cables can be time consuming (and therefore more costly if you're paying someone else to do it). In short, the Chris King now-patented design uses the brand's GripLock bearing cap system (a patented product in its own right) to create "the ultimate internally routed cable headset".

Chris King says the system resists loosening under demanding use, features bearings designed for "unmatched longevity", and remains easy to service over time.

Greg Hudson from Chris King said the patent "reflects our commitment to designing components that make modern bikes better to ride and easier to live with".

"British, not beige": Fancy a new Brooks colour?

 

 

 

 

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Brooks saddles are now available in this rather lovely new teal colourway... "anything but beige".

Trek to use low-emission aluminium in "industry-first shift"

2024 Trek Domane AL 4 - 1 (credit: Trek)

Trek has announced that from October "nearly every" aluminium bike frame from Trek, Electra and Diamant will be made using aluminium sourced from facilities powered by renewable energy, and/or incorporating recycled material.

The brand says this will affect well over 1 million bikes a year and is the largest carbon-reduction initiative in Trek's history. It marks a major milestone on the company's path to meeting its SBTi-certified climate goals ahead of schedule and is, Trek says, one of the most significant sustainability milestones the cycling industry has seen. 

"This is a major move, not just for Trek, but for what's possible in bicycle manufacturing," said Trek President John Burke. "It'll put us years ahead of our climate goals, and it proves there's a better path. We hope other companies will join us, inside and outside of the bicycle industry."

And finally... get a load of Pauline Ferrand-Prévot's obligatory yellow Cervélo

Pauline Ferrand-Prévot yellow Cervélo (credit: Cervelo)

In case you missed it:

• Is Vinted the new home of cycling bargains? App now lets users buy and sell bikes, e-bikes and parts with door-to-door shipping

• Trek releases UCI-illegal 6.4kg Madone build priced at £10,000

• Is this the "strongest plastic tyre lever"? Plus more wheel and tyre tech from Van Rysel, Lezyne, Goodyear and PSI

• Canyon brings disco vibes with its Valtteri Bottas signature Grail CFR VB 77